


Doctor Who: A long way to (not) die

by TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eleven/River - Freeform, F/M, Falling In Love, Fear, Kidnapping, Loss, Love, Meeting the Parents, Two Shot, Yowzah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 19:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20935727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986/pseuds/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986
Summary: At the age of 15, Melody, daughter of Amy and Rory Pond, is kidnapped and trained in a very strange way.Many years later, as she performs a task so unusual that she can not even be imagined, she meets the young man named Jeremiah, and for the first time in her life she can not fulfill her task.





	Doctor Who: A long way to (not) die

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, dear reader ...
> 
> My first story, which is about Eleven and River alone. For a long time, I had thought about what might fit until I came up with this idea.
> 
> Have fun reading.
> 
> Allons-y!

Doctor Who is © by BBC. 

Doctor Who: A long way to (not) die.

Chapter 1 - The changed life

1978 (at the beginning)

London/England/Europe

She could not remember that it was ever so cold in her room. And if her father had intended to renew the heating, as she had made too many noises in her room several times during the night that she could have slept soundly, then her parents would not have her in her room for the time being left, but given her the opportunity in the living room.

When she thought about it, she realized that it was not only too cold, but too quiet. Both things that somehow felt wrong. She fumbled around in the darkness that surrounded her, trying to find the switch on the bedside lamp that stood on the dresser beside her, but her hand went nowhere.

One thing was certain, wherever she was, this was definitely not her room. The thought that she was not even in the house she was living with her parents made her feel at home, and if she had had a chance to scream for help, she would have, but that was the possibility you denied.

~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~ ° ~

Amy paced nervously up and down the living room. Normally, Melody always sat on the couch and went through her homework so she would not forget anything.

She had always been a person who was stubborn and did not like not having achieved something. So the fact that she was not here this time made her parents very scared.

Rory left the house to ask her neighbors if they saw Melody anywhere, but none of them could give him a reassuring answer. Also in the evening and in the next days there was no trace of her and thus she disappeared.

Over the next few years, many years, Melody was slowly trained to kill people without even the slightest hint of guilt or remorse, but she also had a very strong mind and for twenty years refused to fulfill her wishes She was repeatedly tortured almost to the point of death in order to break her will and eventually make her a mere puppet.

When she saw her first murder, she was already twenty years old, but she had no way to look away and the images burned into her memory.

When, finally, long after her kidnapping, she was finally able to leave nothing of the original person and she was to commit her first murder, she met a man who was to become her victim but offered her a compromise. If she lets him live, then he will seek her victim.

„You mean something like people who are so vicious that they deserve it?“  
„No, I'm talking about helping people who can not afford treatment and yet do not want to die alone on their way.“

She looked at him. All these years she had been so manipulated that her purpose was to enjoy the way others died before her eyes, but one thing was not remembered, that she was fifteen when she was kidnapped, and herself now, with 40 still somewhere is a human who does not want to kill.

„How do you want to do that, so find all these people?“  
His answer was that he could not tell her, since there was always the danger that too many of them would find out. She nodded and then thought for a moment before making a decision. From now on, her name would be River Song, because the fact that her former kidnappers will seek her could not be ruled out.

For the next few years, she went about her task, escorting people into her death, sometimes even killing her when asked, always feeling that she had been taught for years, that is, satisfying, and yet could never really be happy.

It all changed in 2013, when she met the young man named Jeremiah who, despite the fact that he was well, wanted to die because all the people he knew had turned away from him and he, according to his words , would rather be dead, than to have the feeling constantly, to have no friends.

River understood that he was afraid to be alone and that the chance to die could free him from all that. But she just looked at the young man and finally said that she needed a few days of preparation.

It was a lie, because if she did not want one, it was to kill him just because it was his wish. The only question was why she did that. Why she was afraid to help him die.

Jeremiah thanked in advance that she would help him and then left the place where they had met. River had no idea where the sensations she felt towards him. Something like friendship, trust, love had forgotten her long ago. Maybe it was just the idea that it was wrong for a young man like him to die if he had so many years left.

The weeks passed and River accompanied in the time two people who were seriously ill, but had no home for many years, to death. To this day, she had no idea where her boss got this information from, and to be completely honest, she did not care. Their task was to accompany people to death, nothing more, nothing less.

„I heard that Mr. Smith still had not died?“  
„Because I can not. He only wants to die because he is afraid of loneliness, not because he is seriously ill. Jeremiah told me that he was alone, but I do not think that when he dies, I can feel the satisfaction that I have otherwise.“

The man, whose name she still did not know, looked at her with a knowing look and finally smiled, but he kept his guess for himself, as River would deny it one way or the other.

„The rest of the month, there are no further orders. I would suggest that you take some time off and perhaps lead Mr. Smith around a bit, show him that the world is not just bad.“

She nodded, not sure if she could persuade him to join her on a journey that would last for two weeks.

Jeremiah arrived an hour later, hoping that his wish would finally be fulfilled. He had the feeling, as if he had been in this world for far too long.

„Will I finally die today?“, He asked confidently, but she said no.  
„I've been listening to this for weeks and I've stated several times that I can not stand it anymore. There may be people out there who are happy to be alone, but I am not.“

River just shook his head and pulled something out of her pocket. Although she was not the fan of it, she guessed he might like it.

„That's a fez, right? Cool, even if it sounds like a lie, I've always wanted that.“

He took him in his arms and for the first time since she knew him, he smiled. Perhaps she would really succeed in dissuading him from his desire to die.

Jeremiah had, during the next few days, the Fez always with them, which of course brought them glances, was not something that was commonplace in London.

„Your hat is great!“, A small boy spoke to him, so that he crouched down to be at eye level with him.  
„Thanks. More precisely, he calls himself Fez. I got it from a very special person.“  
„About your girlfriend back there?“

He blushed slightly as he looked at her, but ignored the gentle thump of his heart as he thought of her.  
„Yes, it was from her. Her name is River. My name is Jeremiah and you?“  
„Jerry. That sounds like your name, just not that long.“  
„Yes it does. Thanks, for the little talk, Jerry. You'd better go to your parents before they worry.“

The boy nodded and ran away.

Jeremiah rose again and looked over at River, who had been patiently waiting the entire time.

„Maybe it's time to think about my decision again“, he said, standing next to her again. Of course she asked him what he meant by that, but he did not answer.

„I'm hungry. Do not you, River? Maybe we'll find a restaurant that offers Fish Fingers and Custard. And if not, then we can get it somewhere.“

She just looked at him. She had never experienced him as happy as she had today. As if he was a different man ... A man who suddenly seemed so much grown up despite his appearance.

„He's twenty years younger“, she murmured, wondering how she got it. She had the task of keeping him from his desire not to develop any feelings for him.

Wait! Feelings? So right feelings, like friendship ... and love? Nonsense, she had no room for such things. The only thing she needed to know was that he had turned away from his desire to die.

„Hey, are we going to eat something?“, He asked, his green eyes looking a little startled. She smiled and finally said she was really hungry so they set off.

Unfortunately, they did not find one that would have been willing to make their favorite food, even if he offered to pay a little more.

Jeremiah was reminded by the experience that he was alone and ran away from it. River followed, but soon lost sight of him. All this had worked so well so far, why did he suddenly turn his back on this and just run away?

River shook his head angrily, finally seeking him. Soon she found him sitting on the edge of a fountain while his hand slid leisurely through the water.

She sat down next to him and he looked up.  
„Why did you run away?“  
„Because... Because I had to think“, he admitted, „River, I do not know how much longer I can stand it. Yes, you were kind to me, but it was only because you did not want to help me die. You know“, he took a deep breath, „actually I could have done it alone in the time, but I did not. First, because I would have been alone, and second, because I'm not anymore.“

Jeremiah pulled his hand out of the water and finally got up.  
„Thank you, thank you for everything“, he managed before leaving again, this time not running but simply walking comfortably. River just watched him... and suddenly found himself in a hug. How had he come back so quickly and why had not she noticed?

„I'm an idiot because I know that without you, I really have no sense in living. I realize that you can not feel like me, and if we can only be friends then it will be like that. My only request is: do not just leave my life like everyone else before.“

Okay, that was an address from him and even though it sounded like he wanted to force her to do something, it was not meant that way, of course. Her hands were shaking, her mouth was dry and she could not speak properly.

There was also the fact that she was 20 years older and did not know what it was like to love a human being. Sure, she had kissed someone before, but this was before her kidnapping and now, so many years later, in the summer of 2013, it was far behind her, so of course she had no memories of it.

But would not it be better to learn all this? She was not so old that it would not be worthwhile anymore.

„Hey, wherever you are, I hope it's nice there.“

River shook his head in confusion and returned to the here and now. Jeremiah smiled at her and she could see in his eyes that his smile was real. She also saw that his expression had changed and he no longer looked like he was dying.

Then she spoke to him and he smiled.  
„Do not worry about it, I have no reason to do it. Unless, of course, I am alone again one day, but then I hope that I am old and gray and do not have to wait much longer myself.“

She looked at him, then grinned.  
„I think this time you will be the one who accompanies me when I die.“

He just pulled her close and closed her lips with his, which of course quite surprised her. Immediately he retired, because he had probably made a mistake.  
„I understand. You do not know what it's like to love, unfortunately you do not know all these feelings.“  
„No, it's just that at the age of 14, I kissed someone first and only once. And this is already 36 years ago, "River grimaced," Great, I'm 50 and feel like a teenager before the first time. Well, that was not the lie.“

Jeremiah looked at her with wide eyes. Should that mean that she never ...  
„Exactly that. When should I have had the opportunity. And, well, I have no idea if I'm still capable of... I mean, maybe you want kids and what if...“

„We will find out, alright? We will see how it develops and if the possibilities are no longer there, then of course I will be able to live with it“, he smiled and pulled River to himself.  
„I love you, River, I'm pretty sure I'm doing it.“  
„My name is Melody Pond.“

He thought for a moment, then shook his head and said that River would suit her better.  
„Like a river that never stands in style, even when the surface is frozen, it continues to do so.“  
„Have you recently gone to the philosophers?“

He just grinned and pulled her with him until he suddenly stopped and asked her the question she probably wanted to hear all her life.

„Would you like to see your parents again?“

She just stared at him. That could not be serious?  
„How do you want to do that? Besides, it's not sure if they're still alive.“  
„They do it, I know that because I talked to them on the phone and they're glad to know you're okay. But if you're not ready for a meeting, you do not have to do it.“

It had been well over 30 years since her abduction, and of course she did not know what to expect. She asked him if her parents knew about her job and he said no, meaning that she should tell it on her own, since he would not have one.

She was quite thankful for that. The problem was just that no one could say how the meeting would end and if thereafter the contact would continue or this time would break forever.

Both just had to wait and see what the next days would bring.


End file.
